Early Origins of the Drysdul family

The surname Drysdul was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area. Specifically, the family claims descent from Dryfesdale, a civil parish in Annandale. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)

The "dale" takes its name from the river Dryfe, commonly known as Dryfe Water. Lockerbie falls within the civil parish of Dryfesdale and is generally believed to have been an ancient Viking village c. 900. "There is also a Roman work situated upon an eminence in the centre of the extensive holm of Dryfe and Annan, and which is called Gallaberry, or the station of the Gauls. The most perfect relic of this kind, however, is the British fort at Dryfesdale-gate, occupying two acres of ground, and the counterpart of which is a large Roman work, about half a mile due east, separated only by a moor, on which a bloody battle was fought between the army of Julius Agricola and the forces of Corbredus Galdus, the Scottish king" [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

The Church of Dryfesdale was dedicated to St Cuthbert in 1116. One of the first records of the name was Gawine Dryfesdale and John Dryesdale in 1499 "for thare being aganis the Kingis hienes in the battell and feyld committit besyde Striuelin one Sanct Barnabeis day." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)

Early History of the Drysdul family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Drysdul research.Another 138 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Drysdul History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Drysdul Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Drysdul has been spelled Drysdale, Drisedale and others.

Early Notables of the Drysdul family (pre 1700)

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Migration of the Drysdul family to Ireland

Some of the Drysdul family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Drysdul family to the New World and Oceana

Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them: James Drysdale who landed in Massachusetts in 1764. Later family members made their homes in other northern states such as Pennsylvania.